Head of Development & Partnerships

TechUnited:NJ is a nonprofit organization strengthening New Jersey’s innovation economy by connecting founders, operators, investors, corporate leaders, and policymakers. Through high-impact programs, flagship events, and strategic partnerships, we support entrepreneurship, workforce development, and innovation across the state.

Our work is powered by philanthropic funding and corporate sponsorships, including support for awards programs, summits, and large-scale ecosystem events.

The Role

TechUnited is seeking a Head of Development & Partnerships to lead and grow philanthropic fundraising and sponsorship revenue across donors, foundations, and corporate partners.

This is a senior, externally facing leadership role responsible for securing funding through a combination of donations, grants, and sponsorships tied to TechUnited’s awards, summits, and events, and scaling total fundraising toward a $1.5M annual goal.

The role works closely with the CEO, leadership team, and partners cross-functionally with Events, Programs, and Marketing to align funding with impact.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising, Donors & Philanthropy

• Lead TechUnited’s development strategy across individual donors, foundations, and philanthropic institutions

• Cultivate, solicit, and steward donors through major gifts, program funding, and multi-year commitments

• Own and manage a donor pipeline, including prospecting, relationship management, and renewals

• Translate TechUnited’s mission, programs, and outcomes into compelling donor narratives

• Prepare donor pitches, proposals, and impact reporting in partnership with leadership

Sponsorships (Awards, Summits & Events)

• Own sponsorship strategy and revenue for TechUnited’s flagship awards programs, summits, and events

• Develop and close sponsorship packages tied to events, programming, and thought leadership

• Build and steward long-term corporate sponsor relationships beyond one-off events

• Collaborate with Events and Marketing teams to ensure sponsor value, visibility, and deliverables are met

• Support renewals and upsells across TechUnited’s event and program portfolio

Revenue Ownership & Strategy

• Lead fundraising and sponsorship efforts toward a $1.5M+ annual revenue goal, in partnership with the CEO and board

• Balance unrestricted funding, program funding, and event-based sponsorships

• Track pipelines, forecasts, and performance metrics; report regularly to leadership and the board

• Identify opportunities to grow multi-year, repeat sponsorship and donor commitments

Leadership & External Representation

• Serve as a senior representative of TechUnited with donors, sponsors, and ecosystem partners

• Support board engagement in fundraising and sponsorship efforts

• Represent TechUnited at events, meetings, and ecosystem gatherings

Qualifications & Experience

• 3+ years of experience in development, fundraising, sponsorships, or strategic partnerships

• Proven ownership or co-ownership of $500K–$1M in annual fundraising and/or sponsorship revenue, with readiness to scale to a $1.5M+ goal

• Track record of closing five- and six-figure gifts and/or sponsorships

• Experience working with donors, foundations, and corporate partners

• Strong relationship-builder with executive presence and negotiation skills

• Comfortable working cross-functionally in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment

• Experience in technology, startups, workforce development, or economic development is a plus

What Success Looks Like

• A strong, diversified pipeline of donors and sponsors

• Consistent sponsorship revenue for awards, summits, and events

• High donor and sponsor retention and renewal rates

• Increased multi-year and unrestricted funding

• Fundraising and sponsorship revenue scaling to $1.5M+ annually

Why Join TechUnited:NJ

• Senior leadership role with direct access to the CEO and board

• Opportunity to shape the funding strategy behind NJ’s most visible innovation programs

• High-impact, relationship-driven work with founders, investors, and corporate leaders

• Entrepreneurial environment with room to build systems and strategy

• Flexible, hybrid work environment

Compensation

Salary range: $90,000–$120,000, commensurate with experience, plus benefits.